Petra Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PET-rah //ˈpɛtrə//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: rock; Latin: stone
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Petra is derived from the Greek word "petra," meaning "rock" or "stone." This etymology can be traced back to the ancient Greek language, where it appears in various forms. The name is often associated with the biblical figure Saint Peter, whose name in Greek is "Petros," also meaning "rock." The connection between Petra and Peter is significant, as Saint Peter is considered a foundational figure in Christianity, symbolizing strength and stability.
The name Petra entered the English language through Latin, where it was adopted from the Greek, and subsequently made its way into various European languages, including Italian and Spanish, before becoming established in English usage. Historically, the name Petra has been borne by several notable figures and places.
One of the most famous references is the ancient city of Petra in modern-day Jordan, which was a significant trading hub and is renowned for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. This city was established by the Nabataeans around the 5th century BCE and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 20th century, further cementing the name's historical significance.
Additionally, the name has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, often symbolizing strength and resilience. Culturally, the name Petra has resonated through various traditions and has been associated with qualities such as steadfastness and endurance.
In Christian contexts, it is often linked to the virtues of faith and reliability, reflecting the characteristics attributed to Saint Peter. The name has also inspired diminutive forms, such as Petya in Slavic cultures, which have their own unique cultural significance.
Overall, Petra's rich etymological roots and historical associations contribute to its enduring appeal across different cultures and eras.
Famous people named Petra
In this section, you will find notable people named Petra. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Petra who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Petra who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Petra Kvitová is a professional tennis player best known for winning Wimbledon twice and being a former world No. 2.
Petra Nemcova is a model and television host best known for her work with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and her charity work with Happy Hearts Fund.
Petra Collins is a photographer and director best known for her work in fashion photography and as a co-founder of the online magazine Frank.
Fictional characters named Petra
The following list of fictional characters named Petra is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Petra Arkanian is a fictional character from the novel Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. She is a skilled and intelligent member of Ender's team, known for her strategic thinking and leadership abilities.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Petra, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Petra. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Petra was first seen in the United States in 1881.
Petra has ranked as high as #695 nationally, which occurred in 1927, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Arizona, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Petra has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Petra is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Petra was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Petra (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 16 | |
| TX | 15 | |
| FL | 9 | |
| AZ | 8 | |
| VA | 8 | |
| IL | 7 | |
| NY | 7 | |
| WA | 6 | |
| OR | 5 | |
| PA | 5 | |
| CT | 5 | |
| MA | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Petra.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 147 |
| 2023 | 149 |
| 2022 | 140 |
| 2021 | 151 |
| 2020 | 175 |
| 2019 | 172 |
| 2018 | 144 |
| 2017 | 165 |
| 2016 | 158 |
| 2015 | 176 |
| 2014 | 145 |
| 2013 | 134 |
| 2012 | 122 |
| 2011 | 118 |
| 2010 | 99 |
| 2009 | 135 |
| 2008 | 133 |
| 2007 | 124 |
| 2006 | 101 |
| 2005 | 122 |
| 2004 | 89 |
| 2003 | 80 |
| 2002 | 80 |
| 2001 | 91 |
| 2000 | 91 |
| 1999 | 70 |
| 1998 | 78 |
| 1997 | 84 |
| 1996 | 85 |
| 1995 | 81 |
| 1994 | 94 |
| 1993 | 90 |
| 1992 | 87 |
| 1991 | 78 |
| 1990 | 76 |
| 1989 | 73 |
| 1988 | 79 |
| 1987 | 111 |
| 1986 | 75 |
| 1985 | 91 |
| 1984 | 89 |
| 1983 | 96 |
| 1982 | 67 |
| 1981 | 86 |
| 1980 | 116 |
| 1979 | 101 |
| 1978 | 120 |
| 1977 | 101 |
| 1976 | 123 |
| 1975 | 101 |
| 1974 | 120 |
| 1973 | 122 |
| 1972 | 117 |
| 1971 | 130 |
| 1970 | 130 |
| 1969 | 113 |
| 1968 | 134 |
| 1967 | 124 |
| 1966 | 130 |
| 1965 | 156 |
| 1964 | 138 |
| 1963 | 113 |
| 1962 | 116 |
| 1961 | 99 |
| 1960 | 137 |
| 1959 | 106 |
| 1958 | 92 |
| 1957 | 109 |
| 1956 | 118 |
| 1955 | 100 |
| 1954 | 103 |
| 1953 | 115 |
| 1952 | 88 |
| 1951 | 98 |
| 1950 | 130 |
| 1949 | 113 |
| 1948 | 131 |
| 1947 | 115 |
| 1946 | 116 |
| 1945 | 93 |
| 1944 | 103 |
| 1943 | 103 |
| 1942 | 97 |
| 1941 | 81 |
| 1940 | 108 |
| 1939 | 106 |
| 1938 | 117 |
| 1937 | 121 |
| 1936 | 115 |
| 1935 | 106 |
| 1934 | 139 |
| 1933 | 120 |
| 1932 | 141 |
| 1931 | 168 |
| 1930 | 176 |
| 1929 | 187 |
| 1928 | 182 |
| 1927 | 197 |
| 1926 | 174 |
| 1925 | 189 |
| 1924 | 187 |
| 1923 | 168 |
| 1922 | 189 |
| 1921 | 166 |
| 1920 | 152 |
| 1919 | 145 |
| 1918 | 134 |
| 1917 | 123 |
| 1916 | 99 |
| 1915 | 120 |
| 1914 | 111 |
| 1913 | 85 |
| 1912 | 63 |
| 1911 | 62 |
| 1910 | 65 |
| 1909 | 50 |
| 1908 | 40 |
| 1907 | 51 |
| 1906 | 40 |
| 1905 | 43 |
| 1904 | 43 |
| 1903 | 26 |
| 1902 | 37 |
| 1901 | 37 |
| 1900 | 40 |
| 1899 | 22 |
| 1898 | 26 |
| 1897 | 24 |
| 1896 | 33 |
| 1895 | 27 |
| 1894 | 42 |
| 1893 | 23 |
| 1892 | 24 |
| 1891 | 18 |
| 1890 | 18 |
| 1889 | 24 |
| 1888 | 24 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1886 | 19 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1884 | 9 |
| 1883 | 9 |
| 1882 | 9 |
| 1881 | 10 |